Brennan Charged With Giving False Evidence

The vet at the centre of cobalt investigations in two states is one of two people to face additional charges in the case involving Sydney trainer Sam Kavanagh.

Dr Tom Brennan of the Flemington Equine Clinic and harness racing identity John Camilleri have both been charged with giving false evidence to the Racing NSW inquiry.

Brennan originally denied being the source of two bottles sent to Kavanagh labelled Vitamin Complex which were later found to contain cobalt.

Last week, Brennan did an about-face and changed his evidence but denied knowing the bottles contained the banned substance. He also admitted he had destroyed clerical records of their delivery by mail to Kavanagh.

Brennan is already facing several charges in the Sam Kavanagh case and has also been charged by Racing Victoria in relation to high cobalt levels in horses trained by Danny O'Brien and Mark Kavanagh, Sam's trainer father.

Camilleri has also been charged over evidence he gave in relation to raceday treatment given to Midsummer Sun before he won the Gosford Cup in January.

He also faces several charges relating to the raceday drenching of horses in Sam Kavanagh's stable.

Sam Kavanagh has admitted to a raft of offences including raceday treatment to Midsummer Sun who was found to have caffeine in his system as well as cobalt in a post-race sample from the Gosford race.

Brennan's admissions to Racing Victoria stewards include that he administered the "vitamin complex" in an intravenous drip to horses trained by O'Brien and Mark Kavanagh.

He said the two Melbourne trainers paid him $3000 for the substance, which Brennan alleged he forwarded as payment to another vet.

However, Mark Kavanagh has denied paying Brennan while O'Brien has disputed some aspects of Brennan's evidence concerning the payment.

Racing NSW chief veterinarian, Dr Craig Suann, told the Sam Kavanagh hearing a typical bottle of injectable vitamins would normally cost $20 or less.

Mark Kavanagh, O'Brien, Peter Moody and Lee and Shannon Hope have been summoned to front Victorian stewards on Wednesday to show cause why they should not be stood down pending inquiries into their cases.

Horses trained by Moody and the Hope partnership have returned elevated cobalt levels but the trainers have not been linked to Brennan.

Darren Smith, who last week lost his second appeal over a 15-year disqualification for cobalt offences, and Sam Kavanagh were both stood down before their cases were heard.

Both trainers made admissions before their inquiries to offences that carried automatic bans.